Fifth wheel for vehicles



.Feb. 25, 1947. H. 1.. THOMPSON 2',4

FIFTH WHEEL F0R VEHICLES Filed 001;. 25, 1944 Patented Feb. 25, 1947 IHerried L. Thompson, Portland, Oreg. Application October 25, 1944,Serial No. 560,219

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates generally to land travelling vehicles,and particularly to a fifth wheel for vehicles.

The main object of this invention is to provide a, universal jointsupport as a part of the fifth wheel mechanism in which the wear isuniformly distributed over the entire surface of the joint, whereby theparts may be kept in close relationship without excessive friction orwear being produced.

The second object is to construct a fifth wheel' of the class describedwhich will be simple to build and not easily rendered inoperative bywear or use.

accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in thefollowing specification, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the device taken along the line llin Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a base H3, adapted tobe mounted on a Vehicle body (not shown), upon which it is desired tosupport a bolster or one end of a vehicle body.

On the base In are formed the standards ll across which is mounted a cap12 held in place by means of the cap screws I3. Mounted in counterboredrecesses l4 and I5 in the base Ill and cap I2 are the combined radialand end thrust anti-friction bearings I5 and I1, preferably of theroller type.

Journalling in the bearings I6 and I1 is the vertical spindle l8 uponwhich is keyed a ratchet wheel IS on the under side of the bearing IT.The enlarged spindle portion 20 may either be a sleeve secured on thespindle I8 by means of a pin 2|, or it may be otherwise secured againstendwise movement in order that the load may be transferred from thespindle l8 to the bearing l6.

Mounted on the under side of the cap I2 is a pawl 22 whose point 23engages the ratchet teeth 24 of the ratchet wheel [9. A spring 25 urgesthe pawl point 23 toward the teeth 24.

parts On the upper end of the spindle I8 is mounted a spherical head 26which fits into the socket 21- of the joint casting 28 which is normallysecured to the under side of the trailer chassis or other contrivancebeing supported by the fifth wheel. I

The operation of the device is as follows: As the vehicle on which thedevice is used turns, it naturally causes the spindle I8 to turn in thebearings l6 and Il, but this turn can only be made in one direction onaccount of the pawl- 22. The netresult of this is to insure anintermittent rotation of the spindle H3 in one direction only, therebyinsuring the uniform wearing of the spherical member 36 and. the member2?.

While I have thus illustrated and described my invention, it must beunderstood that I do not intend to be limited to the precise form illustrated. therein, but Ido intend to cover all such forms andmodifications of, the device as falls fairly within the appended claim.I

I claim:

In a device of the class described, the combina tion of a horizontalbase having a pair of upright standards on its upper side spaced fromeach other, a cap extending across said standards, anti-friction thrustbearings mounted in said base and cap in vertical alinernent with eachother, a, spindle mounted in said bearings having a thrust collartherebetween, a ratchet wheel secured to said spindle, a pawl engagingsaid ratchet whereby said spindle may turn in one direction only, and aball and socket joint on the upper end of said spindle whereby a loadmay be supported thereon.

HERRIED L. THOMPSON.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,986,149 Harris Jan. 1, 19351,587,074 Humphry June 1, 1926 1,574,470 Coffee Feb. 23, 1926

